Heat-resistant alloys for turbine blades, etc., are cermets formed by dispersing an intermetallic compound in a matrix metal. Very few materials composed of an intermetallic compound alone are in practical use.
Intermetallic compounds are known to have excellent properties in terms of heat resistance, corrosion resistance, chemical resistance, etc. However, the synthesis of an intermetallic compound needs prolonged external heating, which is disadvantageous especially in view of production costs.
Furthermore, although intermetallic compounds are being developed for various uses, and the demand for intermetallic compound porous materials is growing, no technology has yet been developed to provide such materials efficiently.